Improvement in the manufacture of petroleum soap



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN K. KA NE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN THE MANUFACTURE OF PETROLEUM SOAP.

Specification forming part 01 Letters Patent No. 63,523. dated April 2,1867.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN K. KANE, of Allegheny city, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Manufacture of Petroleum Soap; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My improvement in the manufacture of petroleum soap, or soap containingpetroleum or hydrocarbon oil or the fluid products thereofsuch asbenzine and benzole-consists in the process or order of operationshereinafter described, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the boilingof the soap or with the employment of tire-heat for any other purposethanthe melting of the tallow or other animal fat or grease employed asthe basis of the soap.

The dispensing with the boiling of the soap, beside being a greatadvantage in the saving of fuel and apparatus, has the greatrecommendation of avoiding in a great degree the danger of accidentalways incident to the proximity of lire to petroleum or its products.In

addition to these advantages, the soap manufactured by my process ismore detergent and emollient than soap made by the ordinary processes,contains less alkali, and is therefore less destructive to the skin andto fabrics washed with it, and also gives to the manufacturer a largeryield in proportion to the quantity of ingredients used.

My improved soap may be manufactured either with or without rosin, andif rosin is employed as an ingredient it maybe either used without beingmelted by heat, or it may be mixed with the grease and melted with it,the former method having the advantage of requiring a lower degree ofheat, as tallow melts at about 127 Fahrenheit, while rosin requires ahigher temperature.

In the various modifications of my process of making petroleum soap animportant feature is the effecting of a chemical union of thehydrocarbon oil or its fluid products with the animal fat beforecommencing the process of saponiiication.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make use of myimprovement, I will pro ceed to describe my process under the threemodifications referred to, viz: First, where rosin is used without beingmelted by heat;

second, where rosin is used mixed and melted with the fat; third, whereno rosin is employed. I will first, however, state that the proportionsof the various ingredients constituting my soap cannot be given exactly,inasmuch as they will necessarily be varied by the manufacturer according to the kind and quality of soap to be produced, varying fromsoap for toilet purposes to the most detergent kind used for laundry andother cleaning purposes.

First. IVhere the rosin used is not exposed to tire-heat for the purposeof melting it, I reduce the rosin to fine powder, in any convenientmanner, and dissolve it in the petroleum, b'enzine, benzole, or otherproduct of hydro carbon oil which it may be desired to employ, thesolution being readily effected by mixing and stirring. The amount ofrosin in proportion to the other ingredients is dependent on the kind ofsoap to be made; but when 1nanufactured by my process a largerproportion of rosin can be used than is otherwise advantageouslypracticable. The amount ofpetroleum or benzine or other fluid product ofhydrocarbon oil may also be varied, ten per cent, by weight, of theother ingredients being about the minimum quantity desirable; but themore petroleum I use, the longer the soap takes to harden, and the moredetersive and emollient it becomes. \Vhen the rosin is thoroughlydissolved in the petroleum or benzine, &c., I pour it into the vesselcontaining the melted tallow or other melted animal fat, and thoroughlymix them together, until they form a chemical union. The tallow needsonly to be heated sufficiently to melt it thoroughly, and no furtherheat is required in the process. hen the mixture of petroleum or productof petroleum. and grease is complete, I add the necessary quantity oflye, made by dissolving any alkaline matter capable of saponifying fatin water. The lye is added slowly and gradually, and the whole mass iskept in a state of agitation by continual stirring for several hours,but without the application of heat. During thestirring process, andbefore the mass becomes too thick, I add to the soap any desiredcoloring-matter or perfume that may be de sired. These ingredientsshould be introduced after the lye has been mixed with the grease. Assoon as the mass becomes thoroughly saponified and becomes sufficientlythick, I re= move it to frames for cooling and cutting, or to molds forpressing it into cakes of any required size or shape.

Second. Where rosin is melted with the fat, I take the required quantityof tallow or other animal fat or oil and mix with it the proper quantityof rosin, and then melt them together with a slow and gentle heat. Whenthese substances are thoroughly melted and mixed, I remove them from thefire, and when they are at a temperature of about 145 Fahrenheit, Iintroduce slowly and gradually into the melted mass the petroleum orother hydrocarbon oil or the fluid product thereofas benzine, 82c.- andmix these ingredients thoroughly by stirring. I then, as soon as thehydrocarbon oil has united chemically with the mixture of grease androsin, add the solution of alkali or lye, of the desired strength,slowly and gradually, and while doing so stir the mass so as to keep upa thorough and constant agitation, which is continued until the mass is00111- pletely saponificd, and becomes sufliciently thick or stiff toremove to the molds or frai'ues. The colori ng-mattcrs and perfumery areadded, as before stated, after the lye is mixed and before the massbecomes too stiff to receive them to intimate mixture.

Third. here the use of rosin is dispensed with, I melt the tallow orgrease, and then mix thoroughly therewith the hydrocarbon oil, benzine,or other product of hydrocarbon oil. After a chemical union is effected,I saponify with lye added slowly, keeping up a constant agitation, or Imix them by boiling, although I prefer to dispense with the boiling asdangcrous and injurious to the quality of the product.

Having thus described my improved process of making petroleum soap, whatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In the process of making soap, combining petroleum or otherhydrocarbon oil, benzine, or other product of such oils with animalgrease or fat or vegetable oil, either with or without the admixture ofrosin, so as to form a chemical union therewith before adding the lycfor saponifying, substantially as hereiubefore described.

2. The process of making soap by first dissolving rosin .in hydrocarbonoil, benzine, or other fluid products of such oils, then mixing thesolution with melted animal fat or grease or vegetable oil so as to forma chemical union therewith, and, lastly, saponifying the mixture thusformed with lye, either with or without the application of heat,substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I, the said STEPHEN K. ,KANE, have hereunto set myhand.

STEPHEN K. KANE.

